An honest chat about the future of my YouTube channel 🩷

[@AustenTosone]

Thank you all for listening today and for being here. I'd love to hear about what else is going on in your lives outside of content creation too. Let me know how you're doing in the comments! 💕

[@karissastevens]

I really enjoy nyc vlogs and honest beauty reviews!! ❤

[@AustenTosone]

love hearing that, thank you so much for watching ❤❤

[@affordablebyamanda]

💗 can't wait for you next era/chapter!! exciting times ahead :)

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much Amanda! Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. Thinking of you in Florida today 💕

[@TinaHBeautifulJourney]

When you talked about how looking at the analytics just kept bringing you back to doing the same things over and over and how it was killing you creatively, that really resonated with me. I've been doing makeup and beauty content for 3 years, and FINALLY got monetized. But I feel stuck and it's partly because I'm just so much more than that, and I feel like my viewers are too. Currently trying to find a way to incorporate more into my channel as well. Please keep documenting this process.

[@AustenTosone]

hi Tina thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! 💖 congrats on getting monetized! It really takes time to build those watch hours and I hope you get to share more of yourself on top of beauty content in upcoming videos!

[@GeorgeanneKeirstead]

Ya know what Austen...Even though I don't watch every single week, YOU ARE THE REASON I started content creating. As I've mentioned before I consider you a mentor. I am excited about who you've become, and if it weren't for you I wouldn't be where I am today. I loved listening to this. Bloom girl....keep going. I wish you the best in whatever you do. I appreciate you!

[@AustenTosone]

AWW thank you Georgeanne your comment brought a huge smile to my face and I so appreciate all of your support and encouragement 😍

[@ItsTylerChanel]

You are such a thoughtful and inspiring creator!!! I am excited to see the holistic content you will be sharing. I will say this… you are one of my favorite creators across platforms!💚💚💚

[@AustenTosone]

aw Tyler this means so much to me! Thank you for the kind words and for all of your support! So happy we connected through the world wide web all those years ago 💕 sending you a big hug!

[@christinefrazier]

love this story ❤ I think people come for information initially but stay for the person... I feel like that's what happens to me when I become committed to a youtube creator. there was something useful that initially drew me to their channel but then I browse the other videos and it's fun to escape into someone else's life and see what they are up to. I know a lot of youtube strategists are like don't vlog! no one cares! but I feel like fun vlogs or personal story combined with value are what I like to stick around for and make me care about a creator outside of what they initially offered.🎉

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Christine! That makes me so happy to hear, thank you for taking the time to watch and leave a comment today 🩷 appreciate you sharing your insights!

[@Marie_Elaine]

This is super helpful, Austen. I've been following you since those early days and have wanted to get back to creating content on here regularly. You've given me some great insight and perspective on creating content around ME (as a newly divorced, single homeschooling mom trying to figure out life) while also incorporating informational content. Thanks so much for this!

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Marie, thank you so much for being a subscriber and for this lovely comment! It means so much to hear that my content has helped you over the years and into this new chapter! 🩷 appreciate you!

[@brandistillart]

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗so many hearts. You’ve helped me be brave and thank you. I’m very insecure about KZbin but your videos and stories and inspiration through the years are helping. You’re much much younger than me but I have really enjoyed watching your journey and gleaning from your wisdom gained. You’re around my childrens ages. Most of my children are grown now. 5 of 6 have flown the nest. 🥹 As the age up and into their own adult lives and goals, I do as well. I’m here for the long run with you to see you run your race as well. Sending you all the hearts and encouragement in all you do. ✨

[@AustenTosone]

Brandi hi!! Omg your sweet message made me tear up. 🩷 I'm so happy to hear that my content resonates with you and to think I played even a small part in your KZbin journey means so much to me. Thank you very much for your comment and for being here with me!

[@forevergwladys]

Loved your transparency here, Austen. I wish you the very best as you make this transition. Watched 'til the end. As a fellow creator, I feel you on being ready for the next steps. Cheers to your new era 💛

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment! Yes we are READY for the next steps! ❤

[@amyswanofficial]

❤❤ cannot wait to follow your new journey with this pivot!

[@AustenTosone]

aw thank you so much Amy!!

[@jimtosone]

I continue to be impressed with how you are constantly assessing what to drop, keep, and change as the world changes. As Darwin said, "The most important factor in survival is neither intelligence nor strength but adaptability.

[@AustenTosone]

thank you for saying so ❤😍 love you

[@_TinaWilliams]

❤ as a fellow youtuber but also just a human being, i came for the tips but stayed for you as a person, so def glad to see the content shift that direction. i know there will still be tips/inspiration, but it'll just be delivered and packaged differently. those of us looking who can use them? we'll find them!

[@AustenTosone]

thank you for this comment Tina, that means so much to me!

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

Wishing you good health and good luck, have fun.

[@AustenTosone]

thank you!! 😊

[@helloitsbrielle]

❤❤❤been watching since almost the beginning! I always really appreciate seeing all the evolutions of your content / business / life. excited to go along on the journey of this new chapter.

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Brielle! I so appreciate you being here today and over the last several years! It means a lot that you've stuck around through all of the evolutions and eras here and I'm excited for the next chapter too. Thank you for watching and for your comment ❤

[@yulia_adil]

I feel in the same point … I am switching niches and not constant with any of it … will work on this

[@AustenTosone]

content creation is a journey for sure! But it's definitely made me feel less alone opening up about it on here and talking about it together. 🩷

[@bryannabach]

First of all, this is fascinating. I think the way you create content is so well thought out and articulated so flawlessly. I think it’s 100% okay to be unsure about things, as that’s life. I myself am also in a weird content limbo, but it’s fascinating the nuggets of info you took away from the KZbin conference. Points that stood out to me are you wanting to create your dream life and help others do that as well. It almost feels like you could be a hub for using tech for your everyday lifestyle. I’ve always loved your point of view and I think you’re right. This is only the surface for you 🥰

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Bryanna!! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch today and for leaving a comment for me 💕 your kind words really mean so much to me and I feel less alone hearing you relate to the content limbo as well. I will definitely be planning some end of year videos to help everyone make 2025 the year that they reach their goals and their dreams come true. Appreciate you being here!

[@curatorcounsel]

❤ Excited for your next era!

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much Veronica!!

[@TishaShrestha]

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much for watching throughout the years and for taking the time to comment! 💖

[@alyssajcori]

❤ loved you and your storytelling since our writing workshop

[@AustenTosone]

aw love you!! Thank you for being here and watching!! 💖

[@How-to-by-Lou]

Great video.. Thanks for the update on the change..

[@AustenTosone]

thank you for watching!

[@tracyflynn9184]

I just love this so much. What you are saying has even resonated with me. I love all the videos you share and just feel a connection to you as a person. Thank you for doing what you do. Excited for your to get some creative spark back, I love that for you. It is such a wonderful feeling when it hits!! Can't wait for your next one! ❤

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Tracy!! That is so sweet of you to say, thank you for all of your support over the years and for taking the time to leave a comment today, it really means a lot to me! 💕 cheers to the creative spark!

[@DraftsNDreams]

I just found you and subbed! ❤️ A lot of good info thank you for sharing. I’m excited to follow along on this journey. I love this especially as a new creator who couldn’t decided on a niche for years so I never started now that I’ve started I feel freed from that box!

[@AustenTosone]

Hi, welcome!! Thank you so much for subscribing 💖 I agree it's honestly such a weight lifted to worry less about if something is on topic and create because it's fun and because I love it 🥰

[@DraftsNDreams]

@@AustenTosone Definitely a weight lifted!

[@vanitireigns]

As a new content creator, I appreciate this so much. Sometimes "niching down" can pigeonhole you into making only 1 type of content. I'm new to your channel and look forward to seeing where you go from here!

[@AustenTosone]

hi thank you so much for being here and taking the time to leave a comment! I totally agree about the niching down part, sometimes labeling "what works" can make things easier, but doesn't leave a lot of room for change or other ideas to come to life. 💕

[@ReaganBaylee]

I'm really glad you're making this change. I much prefer following along your daily life rather than creator tips - you're an interesting person and I want to see more of your life! Excited for this change

[@AustenTosone]

aw thank you so much for saying so Reagan! That means a lot to me and I always enjoy seeing you share your life in LA as well. Thank you for watching my video today! 💖

[@WeAgeGracefulPodcast]

This was a great relatable video. I'm feeling the same way. This gave me the motivation to pivot.

[@AustenTosone]

I'm so happy to hear that! It means a lot to remember that I'm not alone in my feelings. I'm excited this gave you motivation to make your own changes with your content! 💖

[@sarahannenovio]

I know changing up your content can be scary but you’ve given this a lot of thought and you have so much to offer your community ❤ I’m so excited for your upcoming evolution in your personal brand 🙏🏽 can’t wait to see what you create!

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Sarah! I know you're in the midst of redefining your relationship with content creation as well and I'm super excited for your next chapter as well. Thank you so much for watching today and for being here, I'm so glad we connected online a few years ago and have stuck with each other through all of the evolutions of our online selves. 💖 you rock!!

[@oliviagscherzer]

Hi! Love this and your transparency with content creation. Excited to see what you come up with next! I have one question- you mentioned you continued blogging after your magazine jobs. Is your blog something you used to get those magazine jobs? I’m currently looking for a magazine editor position (I have a few years of editorial experience) and wondering if I should use my blog or delete it. Again, love your content and looking forward to this new chapter!! 🫶🏼

[@AustenTosone]

Hi! When I was first applying to internships and my first job out of college I was able to use blog posts as writing samples! I think it definitely helped me stand out to have a creative portfolio like that. 🩷

[@notimeforstyle]

Hi Austen, congratulations on all your amazing achievements! I've been following you on KZbin, your podcast, and Instagram for a while now, and I genuinely love everything you do-and I like you as a person. No matter the topic of your content, your insights are always so engaging, intelligent, and relatable. As a fellow blogger and KZbinr, even though I'm 57 and living in a completely different part of the world (Switzerland), your journey has been really interesting to follow. It's clear how much passion and authenticity you pour into everything you create. I can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next. Keep being yourself - I’ll be here cheering you on through every change!

[@AustenTosone]

Ciao Cristina!! Thank you so much for your kind words and for all of your support over the years. It means so much to hear that you enjoy all of the content (special thank you for listening to the podcast!! 🎙) and I always love hearing from you and seeing your comments. Appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave a comment today! 💖

[@notimeforstyle]

@@AustenTosone❤

[@christinamaste666]

love ur content esp as a noobie content creator!! i resonate with everything you shared here. i can tell ur very sincere and you put a lot of great value out there. also excited about the pivot!! i’m def here for the journey.. im on a similar path myself trying to figure out what brand building looks like going forward 💗

[@AustenTosone]

aw hi Christina!! Thank you so much for being here and for the kind words, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment and I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in navigating the whole personal brand journey. ❤

[@jennavanleeuwen]

Love the idea of shaping your life the way you want to be! I feel similarly about my work.

[@AustenTosone]

Yes! That one line stuck with me for years and I think it's because it actually has a lot of weight to it. We have more power to control the narrative than we give ourselves credit for. Thank you so much for watching Jenna! 💕

[@hennyrutley]

Thank you for being transparent and vulnerable. I am a new subscriber and curious to follow along on your journey! 😍💫"

[@AustenTosone]

Hi, welcome!! So happy to have you and thank you for watching ❤️

[@TheNeurocuriosityClub]

I haven't been here long, just the last few months, but I come back week after week because of just...you. Idk, I just get the feeling we'd be friends if we knew each other irl. Feel free to change and shift, we're not going anywhere 💜

[@AustenTosone]

that is my favorite feedback to get, because that's how I feel about creators that I follow too! When they feel like a friend it definitely makes me stick around. Thank you so much for being here, for watching and for taking the time to comment today! It really means so much to me 😇

[@alyssacr]

love this video thanks austen! I found you when I started my content creating journey last year and always enjoy your content💕💕

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Alyssa, thank you so much for following along and for watching today's video! I'm so happy that we got connected here on KZbin and I appreciate your comment and kind words 😇

[@Megx]

Hello Austen, I have been subscribed for a long time but this is my first time commenting. Just wanted to say that I enjoy every single video from you, the beauty reviews, the Vlogs, the content creation tips, everything, because of you. I am still a small creator on KZbin but I post on TikTok too and am thinking of going full time on content creation and you are my motivation, so thank you! I know it's not easy but I want to truly give it a try and hopefully be able to say "I did it!" I really want you to do what you want and what you enjoy because I will still watch, for you. Please keep posting what you want and those million subscribers will definitely find you! Love from Japan❤️❤️❤️

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Meg! Wow thank you so much for being a subscriber and for taking the time to leave a comment today! I appreciate it so much and it makes me so glad to hear that my content has been entertaining and helpful for you. PS - I would absolutely love to visit Japan one day! It looks so beautiful there 😍

[@thejessicagoodenough]

💖 Just so you know, I love your vlogs and I'm excited to see what this new era brings! 😊 Oh and I had a bit of an identity crisis when I was about to turn 30 too (in my case it involved quitting a PhD). 😅

[@AustenTosone]

I'm so happy you enjoy the vlogs! Thank you for your kind words and comment, and wow, thank you for sharing that! I'm sure that was not an easy decision but the important thing is that you made a choice 🩷 Appreciate you Jessica!!

[@davidthescottishvegan]

Love 🥰 this update video about the future of this awesome channel. Love ❤ Austen.

[@AustenTosone]

thank you for always watching and leaving comments David!!!

[@sarawhitmanythoughts]

I am so excited for you! I didn’t necessarily follow you for the tips and I mostly watch your stuff on Instagram, but I followed you because you’re a real and relatable creator with a similar educational and professional background as me. I’m personally here for “Austen” and not creator tips. So this is really exciting!!!

[@AustenTosone]

This means so much Sara! Thank you for taking the time to comment and for the kind words 💖I'm grateful that you stuck around and I'm super excited for what's to come!

[@shannonskiptomylife]

Hey Austin! I’m an OG subbie and a CC over 50. Looks like you are going thru a lot of soul searching many of us experienced turning 30! Here’s a suggestion that may seem completely unrelated: volunteer in your community and do it off camera. I found this practice clarified my purpose SO MUCH! You may already be doing this, I don’t know. I took your course and it paid for itself quickly. You are multi-talented and I know you will soon find your best next step.

[@AustenTosone]

Shannon! Always so happy to see your name pop up in the comments, thank you for not only following along on KZbin but also for participating in The Influencer Income Accelerator! ❤ it means so much to me and it is wonderful to follow along with your journey too, I can't believe you're so close to 100k!!! 🎉 I love that you mentioned volunteering, this is definitely something I'd love to do more and will look into.

[@crayonlaneteach2870]

I’m excited to see your videos on your “grey area” topics!

[@AustenTosone]

yay! Excited to share more soon 💕 thank you so much for being here!!

[@carlarojasz]

It's so scary to create when you and your personality is the content. I've realized all my creator life I've used a blog name as a shield to hide from being myself but then it always gets to a point where I outgrow that content and now I'm finally doing the scary thing and I'm starting to blog from my main account. I saw Whitney Uland on TT and she also has a channel here and I love her approach about this idea of fame and how our brains sabotage us under the premise of "keeping us safe" but the trick is to feel ok with that attention. I think it's a good idea you experiment with more content. I'm curious to see what type of content you feel like creating. I'd definitely like to see more of a mix of what you do in your blog/daily life.

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Carla! Wow you're so right, I love these insights! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for watching this video today, I really appreciate it 🩷

[@LeVoyagedAudrey]

💜

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much for being here Audrey! I love seeing your comments on my videos and appreciate all of your support 💖

[@laurenkat189]

I've been watching your channel since 2020 (found your blog first!) when I was a nano creator around 5k and now I'm at 17k and making a lot of my income on brand deals on Insta. I love your videos and find them so helpful!

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Lauren! Aw that makes me so happy to hear, thank you for subscribing and watching my videos over the last few years it truly means so much to me 💖

[@kayleyreed474]

Love this

[@AustenTosone]

thank you!!!

[@Somehowadulting]

💓 love your content!

[@AustenTosone]

thank you so much Nikki! So glad we've connected through KZbin and I really appreciate you watching 💕

[@MariauceyRD_Dietitian]

Great video Austen, really interesting insights! I hope I get invited to a KZbin event some day. I only found your channel recently but have really enjoyed all your content to date 😊😊

[@AustenTosone]

Hi Maria, it's so nice to hear from you! Thank you for taking the time to watch my video and leave a comment today, I truly appreciate it 😍 rooting for you in your KZbin journey!

[@LTMURALS]

Valuable information!

[@AustenTosone]

thanks for watching!!

[@JaniceNotJanis]

❤ (but you deserve more than just one heart)

[@AustenTosone]

aw thank you so much!! 😊

[@crayonlaneteach2870]

❤❤❤

[@AustenTosone]

❤❤ thank you!!!!

[@rr2445]

❤❤

[@AustenTosone]

thank you SO much for being here and for watching today's video! It truly means so much to me 😊

[@NaturalBrownBeauty]

❤

[@AustenTosone]

Thank you for being here and for watching today's video! It truly means the world 😊

[@NaturalBrownBeauty]

@@AustenTosone You're so welcome

[@msreid]

❤❤❤❤❤ Side note: what gigs or platforms did you use to make money while you were in between jobs to stay afloat ?

[@AustenTosone]

Thank you so much for all of your support over the years and for watching today! ❤I didn't really sign up for any of the Fiver/Upwork sites at the time, I was primarily leveraging my own network to find jobs. For example, reaching out to other fellow editors who worked at magazines to see if they needed any writers and also pitching brands I had met during that time to see if they'd want to work together for my own blog and social media channels. I'd also suggest checking out the Freelancing Females IG page and FB group, lots of helpful tips and inspo there for contract work!

[@msreid]

@@AustenTosone you're welcome. Unfortunately, I'm in the business of styling and that network doesn't share very well.

[@vasusvegetariankitchen]

❤ Hello Austen! From India!

[@AustenTosone]

hi! Thank you so much for watching my videos!! 😊

[@kayleyreed474]

❤

[@Jasmine113835]

❤❤

[@AustenTosone]

thank you for being here Jasmine!!! 💕

[@tiffofili]

❤❤

[@maria.chicaia]

❤

[@NailsWithMina]

❤

[@AustenTosone]

thanks for being here!!

[@NailsWithMina]

​@@AustenTosone I really like your videos and they helped me a lot with starting my creator journey. I also enjoy watching your vlogs lately and can't wait for more ❤